U.S. patent application number 14/907648 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-09 for surgical robot system.
The applicant listed for this patent is GOMTEC GMBH. Invention is credited to Bernd Gombert, Leopold Krausen.
Application Number | 20160157942 14/907648 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51399607 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160157942 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gombert; Bernd ; et
al. |
June 9, 2016 |
SURGICAL ROBOT SYSTEM
Abstract
The invention relates to a surgical robot system comprising a
robot arm (8) installed on a substructure (1), a first control
instance (16) for producing control commands for the robot arm (8)
on the basis of user inputs, and a second control instance (18),
which receives the control commands from the first control instance
(16) and checks the control commands with respect to whether the
execution of the control commands by the robot arm (8) requires the
robot arm to leave a specified occupied space (21, 22) of the robot
arm (8) and releases a control command for execution by the robot
arm (8) at most to the extent to which the control command can be
executed without the robot arm leaving the specified occupied space
(21, 22, 30).
Inventors: |
Gombert; Bernd; (Worthsee,
DE) ; Krausen; Leopold; (Munchen, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GOMTEC GMBH |
Seefeld |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
51399607 |
Appl. No.: |
14/907648 |
Filed: |
July 23, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
July 23, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2014/002015 |
371 Date: |
January 26, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
606/130 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 2017/00119
20130101; A61B 2017/00477 20130101; A61B 2090/0808 20160201; A61B
90/361 20160201; G05B 2219/45117 20130101; A61B 34/30 20160201;
B25J 9/1666 20130101; A61B 90/03 20160201 |
International
Class: |
A61B 34/30 20060101
A61B034/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 26, 2013 |
DE |
10 2013 012 397.6 |
Claims
1. A surgical robot system comprising: a robotic arm (8) mounted on
a base element (1); a first control instance (16), configured for
generating control commands for the robotic arm (8) on the basis of
user inputs; a second control instance (18), electrically coupled
to said first control instance, and configured for receiving the
control commands from the first control instance (16) and for
checking the control commands to determine whether the execution of
said control commands by the robotic arm (8) requires said robotic
arm to leave a specified movement space (21, 22, 30) of the robotic
arm (8) and responsive to said checking, for releasing a received
control command for execution by the robotic arm (8) at most to the
extent to which the control command can be executed without the
robotic arm leaving the specified movement space (21, 22, 30); a
patient support (2), detachably connectable to a support plate (6)
mounted on the base element (1), said support plate (6)
electrically coupled to the second control instance (18), wherein
the second control instance (18) is electrically coupled with at
least one sensor (15) disposed in said support plate (6), and
wherein said second control instance (18) is configured for
detecting whether the support plate (6) coupled to said base
element (1) is connected with the patient support (2) and is
configured to base the checking procedure of the second control
instance (18) on different movement spaces (21, 22) depending on
whether or not the patient support (2) is connected with the
support plate (6) mounted on the base element (1).
2. The surgical robot system according to claim 1, characterised in
that the sensor (15) detects the position of a locking mechanism
(14) in said support plate (6), and wherein said locking mechanism
(14) is movable between a position in which it secures the patient
support (2) to the support plate (6) mounted on the base element
(1) and a position in which it releases the patient support (2)
from the support plate (6) mounted on the base element (1).
3. The surgical robot system according to claim 1, characterised in
that a locking mechanism (14) in said support plate (6) is movable
between a locked position in which it secures the patient support
(2) to the support plate (6) mounted on the base element (1) and an
unlocked position in which it releases the patient support (2) from
the support plate (6) mounted on the base element (1), wherein said
second control instance (18) maintains said locking mechanism (14)
in said locked position as long as the second control instance (18)
bases the checking procedure on the, movement space (22) assigned
to the patient support (2) being connected to the support plate (6)
mounted on the base element (1).
4. The surgical robot system according to claim 1, characterised in
that the second control instance (18) is coupled to a user
interface (20) configured for allowing said second control instance
(18) to switch between the movement spaces (21) and (22).
5. The surgical robot system according to claim 1, characterised in
that a camera (23) is connected to the second control instance
(18).
6. The surgical robot system according to claim 5, characterised in
that the camera (23) is arranged so as to scan a patient (25) on
the patient support (2), and wherein the second control instance
(18) is configured to specify a movement space (22, 30) of the
robotic arm (8) on the basis of the position of the patient
(25).
7. The surgical robot system according to claim 1, characterised in
that the second control instance (18) further includes an interface
(27) configured for receiving data relating to an operation to be
performed on patient (25) and is configured to specify the movement
space (30) of the robotic arm (8) on the basis of this data.
8. The surgical robot system according to claim 7, characterised in
that the second control instance (18) is configured to check
whether the specified movement space (30) is accessible for the
robotic arm (8), and to generate an error message if at least a
part of the movement space (30) is not accessible.
9. The surgical robot system according to claim 1, characterised in
that the robotic arm (8) can be mounted on the base element (1) in
different positions.
10. The surgical robot system according to claim 9, characterised
in that the second control instance (18) is configured to detect
the mounting position of the robotic arm (8) on the base element
(1).
11. The surgical robot system according to claim 1, characterised
in that the movement space (22) comprises a surgical field (34) in
body (25) of a patient.
12. The surgical robot system according to claim 11, characterised
in that a part of the movement space (22) is located outside of the
body (25) and wherein the surgical field (34) is located inside the
body (25) and wherein said movement space (22) and said surgical
field (34) are connected together via a port (33).
13. The surgical robot system according to claim 1, characterised
in that a the robotic arm (8) includes a surgical instrument (17)
mounted thereon.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a surgical robot system for
surgical, in particular minimally-invasive, applications. Robots
have been widely used in industrial production for many years and
make it possible to rationalize production thanks to their ability
to reproduce pre-programmed working sequence very quickly and as
often as required.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0002] Only relatively recently have robotic applications also
become of public interest in the field of surgery. In the case of
surgical robots, the objective is not the exact repetition of
programmed working sequences, since the movements which need to be
performed are not repeated from one operation to the next. Unlike
industrial robots, surgical robots are not therefore controlled by
a fixed program; their movements are defined in each individual
case by a surgeon controlling the robot who, whether with the naked
eye or with the aid of a camera, observes the robot and its
surgical field. In order to operate the robot, the surgeon is
preferably provided with a computer-supported control device which
is connected with the robot and the camera. In particular,
applications in which the surgeon monitors the surgical field by
means of a camera are of considerable technical and medical
interest. On the one hand, they make it possible for experienced
specialists to perform operations without needing to be present in
the operating theatre themselves, and thus to treat patients in far
distant locations without needing to travel. On the other hand, the
camera is an effective means for the surgeon (who may also be
present in the theatre) to obtain a view of the inside of the body
during the course of a minimally invasive procedure. However, one
problem with such operations is that, although the operating
surgeon can observe the immediate surgical field by means of the
camera and control a surgical instrument held by the robot,
information on the wider operating environment, on movements of the
auxiliary theatre staff who are present etc. is not accessible
through direct sensory impressions. Rather, the operating surgeon's
attention is focused on the monitor of the control device which
displays the image transmitted by the camera and displays the
contents of the control program. However, if the operating surgeon
is not precisely aware of the shape of the robotic arm guiding the
tool and its possible movements, in extreme cases this can lead to
undesired contacts between the robotic arm and the patient's body
and can in extreme cases lead to injuries.
[0003] Another possible application for robot systems in the
operating theatre is to assist a surgeon who is personally present,
for example by holding in place tissue parts or body parts of the
patient. In the case of orthopedic operations in particular, such
assisting activities frequently require the exertion of
considerable force, which can exceed the capacities of human
assistants but which, in contrast, a robot can apply for an
indefinite period without tiring or diminishing in its precision.
Advances in automatic speech recognition make it possible for such
a robot to respond to spoken instructions by the operating surgeon
in a similarly reliable way to human assistants. However, here too
it must be ensured that an inappropriate movement on the part of
the robot cannot injure the patient. A collision with the robotic
arm and the possibility of a resulting injury to the patient should
also be reliably ruled out before and after the operation, when
transporting a patient to and from the operating and/or preparation
room.
[0004] The prior are discloses a surgical robot system that
comprises a multiple-axis articulated arm robot which carries an
x-ray device and a collision-monitoring unit which warns of an
impending collision between components of the x-ray device and a
patient support arrangement or a patient laid thereon and/or
prevents a collision.
SUMMARY
[0005] One object of the present invention is to create a surgical
robot system with which the danger of undesired contacts between
the robotic arm or an instrument guided by the robotic arm and the
patient can be minimized.
[0006] The problem is solved in that, in the case of a surgical
robot system with a robotic arm mounted on a base element, a first
control instance for generating control commands for the robotic
arm on the basis of user inputs and a second control instance which
receives the control commands from the first control instance and
checks the control commands with respect to whether the execution
of said control commands by the robotic arm requires said robotic
arm to leave a specified movement space of the robotic arm, and
releases a control command for execution by the robotic arm at most
to the extent to which the control command can be executed without
the robotic arm leaving the specified movement space, a patient
support is detachably connected with the base element and the
second control instance is connected with a sensor for detecting
whether the base element is connected with the patient support and
is configured to base the checking procedure on different movement
spaces depending on whether or not the patient support is connected
with the base element.
[0007] The patient support which is detachably connected with the
substructure makes it possible to transport the patient into the
theatre on the support, perform the operation while the patient
support is connected with the substructure, and then transport the
patient out of the theatre again together with the support.
[0008] In that the aforementioned checking of the control commands
is based on different movement spaces depending on whether or not
the patient support is connected with the substructure, the
movement space specified when the patient support is not connected
can for example define a park position of the robotic arm. The park
position can be so selected that in this position the robotic arm
is protected from damage and/or does not, as far as possible,
impede the connection of the patient support with the substructure.
Such a park position can for example be provided adjacent to the
substructure, beneath an adapter for the patient support, so that
the support, unimpeded by the robotic arm, can be placed on the
adapter from any direction. If the patient support is connected
with the substructure, the permissible movement space should lie
above the patient support so that the robotic arm can perform the
necessary work on patients.
[0009] The aforementioned limitation of the execution of the
control commands can in particular consist in that if the current
location of the robotic arm lies within the specified movement
space, but the target location of a control command lies outside of
this, the path of the robotic arm from the current location to the
target location is calculated, a point on this path is determined
at which the robotic arm reaches the boundary of the movement
space, and the second control instance passes on a modified control
command to the robotic arm, the target location of which is this
point, so that the movement of the robotic arm ends on reaching the
boundary.
[0010] In particular, if the movement of the robotic arm consists
of numerous small successive individual steps, for example if the
movement is controlled by means of a joystick and the position of
the joystick unambiguously specifies the target location of the
movement, a control command which would take the robotic arm beyond
the boundary of the movement space can also be completely
suppressed by the second control instance.
[0011] The first control instance can for example be a remote user
interface which makes it possible for an operating surgeon, who may
under certain circumstances not be present in the operating
theatre, to guide an instrument held by the robotic arm. This first
control instance can also be a speech recognition system which
responds to instructions spoken in the operating theatre and
translates these into control commands for the robotic arm. In each
case the second control instance only allows those commands to be
executed as a result of which the robotic arm is not taken out of
the specified movement space. If this movement space is suitably
defined, any contact between the robotic arm and the patient's body
can be prevented.
[0012] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the movement
of the robotic arm or of the instrument guided by the robotic arm
is, on gradually approaching the boundary of the movement space,
continuously braked until it comes to a standstill, so that an
abrupt halting of the movement of the robot and/or instrument on
reaching the boundary of the movement space can be avoided.
[0013] In order to secure the patient support on the substructure,
a locking mechanism can be provided which is movable between a
position in which it secures the patient support on the
substructure and a position in which it releases the patient
support. The locking mechanism can act in a frictionally-locking or
in a form-locking manner. The locking mechanism can be operated
manually or with the foot. In particular, a bolt can be provided as
a locking mechanism which, in the position securing the patient
support on the substructure, locks this onto the substructure in a
form-locking manner. The aforementioned sensor can be configured to
detect the position of this locking mechanism and define the
movement space of the robotic arm on the basis of the results of
this detection. In this way, a transition of the robotic arm into a
movement space suitable for performance of the operation can be
prevented until the patient support is attached and secured to the
substructure, and the operation cannot begin before the support is
properly secured. Conversely, the second control instance can
switch back to the park position as movement space as soon as the
sensor registers a release of the locking mechanism. In this way an
automatic movement into the park position can be ensured if an
attempt is made to detach the patient support while the robotic arm
is not yet located in the park position.
[0014] Alternatively, the locking mechanism can remain locked in
the securing position through the second control instance as long
as the second control instance bases the checking on the movement
space assigned to the patient support being connected with the
substructure. In other words, the locking mechanism cannot be
opened and the patient support cannot be detached from the
substructure as long as the robotic arm is in a movement space
suitable for performing an operation. In this case, the park
position must be selected as the movement space and moved to by
other means before the securing of the locking mechanism is
released and the patient support can be removed.
[0015] In order to be able, if necessary, to specify a movement
space at random or select from several predefined movement spaces,
the second control instance can be assigned a user interface.
[0016] Preferably, a camera is also connected to the second control
instance.
[0017] Such a camera can configured to scan a patient on the
patient support; the second control instance can then define the
movement space of the robot on the basis of the position and the
body dimensions of the patient. In order to rule out a contact of
the robotic arm with the patient, the patient's body, possibly
including a safety zone surrounding them, can be excluded from the
movement space which is to be specified. The fact that the robotic
arm is prevented in this way from coming into contact with the
patient's body does not prevent work from being carried out, since
a tool held by the robotic arm for this purpose can project from
the movement space of the robotic arm.
[0018] The second control instance can also possess an interface
for data relating to the operation to be performed on the patient
and can be configured to specify the movement space on the basis of
this data. If, for example, this data specifies a body part which
is to be operated on, the movement space can be specified such that
a tool guided by the robotic arm can only reach the body part which
is to be operated on. In this way the danger can be reduced that
body parts which are not intended to be operated on are
accidentally injured or, for example due to a misidentification of
the patient, the wrong operation carried out. The interface can for
example communicate with the IT system of a hospital in which the
robot system according to the invention is being used, but it can
also be a wireless interface designed for example to communicate
with an RFID element worn by the patient.
[0019] It can also be practical for the second control instance to
be configured to check whether the specified movement space is
accessible for the robotic arm, and to generate an error message if
at least a part of the movement space is not accessible and it is
therefore not guaranteed that the robotic arm can perform all the
movements which might possibly be demanded of it during the course
of the operation.
[0020] Such a check is in particular advantageous if the robotic
arm can be mounted on the base element in different positions.
[0021] In order to allow the mounting position of the robotic arm
to be taken into consideration when checking the accessibility of
the movement space, the second control instance should be
configured to detect the position of the robotic arm on the base
element.
[0022] A surgical tool can be seen as being part of the robotic
arm. The tool can comprise a controlled and movable component, for
example a gripper.
[0023] In order to make possible a controlled advance of such a
tool into the body of a patient, the movement space can comprise a
surgical field in the body of a patient.
[0024] A part of the movement space located outside of the body and
the surgical field are preferably connected together via a
port.
[0025] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the base
element possesses an electrical energy source for the robot and/or
the control instances. The energy source can, depending on its
design, be used as a primary power supply unit or as an emergency
power supply unit. For example, the energy source can be in the
form of a mains power supply, an energy storage device (for example
a battery) or a generator. The electrical energy source can thus
cover the power supply requirement for the equipment connected
thereto, both in normal operation and in emergency operation, for
example in the event of a failure of the mains power supply.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] These and other features and advantages of the present
invention will be better understood by reading the following
detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a surgical robot system
according to the invention with a patient support and a robotic arm
which are mounted on a common base;
[0028] FIG. 2 shows the surgical robot system of FIG. 1 in a
configuration in which the patient support has been removed and the
robotic arm has been moved into a park position;
[0029] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic sectional view illustrating the
anchoring of the patient support on the base;
[0030] FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic representation of movement
spaces of the robotic arm with a patient present on the
support;
[0031] FIG. 5 shows a representation analogous to FIG. 4 according
to a further development of the invention; and
[0032] FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic representation of a further
developed embodiment of the robot system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0033] FIG. 1 shows the robot system according to a first
embodiment of the invention in a perspective view. A base element
1, in this case designed as a pedestal base 35, and a patient
support 2 mounted detachably on the base 35 form an operating
table. In this case the base 35 comprises a base plate 3 mounted
firmly on, for example bolted to, the floor, and a column 4 which
in this case is composed of a plurality of telescopically
interlocking, height-adjustable segments 5. The upper end of the
base 35 is formed by a support plate 6 which supports the patient
support 2 and which carries on its longitudinal edge a rail 7, to
which a robotic arm 8 is detachably attached. In this case a foot
section 9 of the robotic arm 8 comprises two clamping jaws which
can be moved relative to one another and which can be clamped onto
the rail 7 with the aid of quick-release levers. The quick-release
levers make it possible for the robotic arm 8 to be attached to and
removed from the base 35 quickly and placed in different positions
on the rail 7. In this way, the placement of the robotic arm 8 can
be conveniently adapted to the position of a patient on the patient
support 2 and the position of a body part which is to be operated
on.
[0034] The patient support 2 is provided at the head and foot ends
with in each case two handles 10 in order to facilitate its
handling, if necessary with a patient lying thereon, and its
attachment to or removal from the base 35. The handles 10 can be
movable between a use position and a sunk-in position in which they
do not impede movements of the surgical team around the patient
support 2. In this case, the handles 10 can in each case can be
swiveled around vertical axes adjacent to the corners of the
patient support 2 and in their sunk-in position are accommodated in
recesses at the head and foot ends of the patient support 2.
[0035] An electronic control unit for controlling movements of the
robotic arm 8 can be provided in the base 35, in the robotic arm 8
or also separately from both. The way this control unit functions
will be explained later.
[0036] According to a variant which is not shown, the base element
can also be divided into a first base for the patient support 2 and
a second base for the robotic arm, whereby the second base can also
be mounted on a wall or a ceiling of the operating theatre.
[0037] FIG. 2 shows the robot system from FIG. 1 in a configuration
with the patient support 2 removed. On the now exposed upper side
of the support plate 6, a rib 11 extending parallel to the rail 7
is formed which, when the patient support 2 is mounted, engages in
a form-locking manner in a groove 12 on its underside (see FIG. 1).
In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the patient support 2 is
centrally supported by the base 35; however, it is also conceivable
for the patient support 2 to be designed to be slid along the rib
11, allowing the patient support 2 to be fixed on the base 35 in
different positions displaced in the longitudinal direction of the
rib 11.
[0038] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the rib 11 is
provided on its lateral flanks with recesses 13 which, as will be
explained in more precise detail in the following, serve to fix the
patient support 2 in position.
[0039] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic cross-section through the rib 11
and its surrounding area at the height of two such recesses 13
arranged opposite one another. Two bolts 14 of the patient support
2 are shown in a position in which they engage in the recesses 13;
they are coupled to the handles 10 such that they only engage in
the recesses 13 when the handles 10 are in their sunk-in position.
In this way it is ensured that, if the handles 10 can be moved into
their sunk-in position, the patient support 2 is securely connected
with the base 35. A sensor 15, in this case in the form of a
mechanical switch, is arranged on the recesses 13 in order to
detect the engagement of the bolt 14 and report this to the control
unit.
[0040] The control unit is divided into a first instance or
execution instance 16, the function of which is to receive inputs
by an operating surgeon and translate these into control commands
which can be executed by the robotic arm 8, and a second or safety
instance 18.
[0041] According to a first embodiment, the execution instance 16
can comprise a joystick or similar input instrument which can be
physically manipulated by the surgeon and which can be moved in
several degrees of freedom. Also, a processor can be provided which
continuously monitors the movement of the input instrument and at
short intervals translates each adjustment of the input instrument
into a control command for a movement of the robotic arm 8
proportionate to the detected adjustment.
[0042] According to a second embodiment, the execution instance 16
also comprises an input instrument which can be moved in several
degrees of freedom and a processor; however, the functional
principle of the processor is different: when the input instrument
is in an idle position, the processor does not generate any control
commands; if the input instrument is deflected from the idle
position, it generates control commands in order to move the
robotic arm 8 in a direction specified through the direction of the
deflection with a speed proportionate to the extent of the
deflection.
[0043] According to a third embodiment, the execution instance 16
comprises a microphone and a computer-supported speech recognition
system which allows it to respond to spoken instructions by a
surgeon and so gives the latter the possibility of controlling the
robotic arm 4 while simultaneously using his hands to work on the
patient himself.
[0044] In particular if--as in the case of the first and second
embodiment--it can be manually controlled, the execution instance
16 can be positioned physically separate from the other parts of
the surgical robot systems. This makes it possible for the surgeon
to carry out the operation at a distance from the patient. Even a
surgeon who is not physically present in the operating theatre is
thus given the possibility of working on the patient with the aid
of the robotic arm 8. A camera which supplies this surgeon with the
necessary feedback regarding the current position of an instrument
17 held by the robotic arm 8 can be firmly mounted in the operating
theatre, for example on its ceiling, above the robot system, or on
the robotic arm 8 itself. It can also be an integral part of the
instrument 17 held by the robotic arm, for example an
endoscope.
[0045] The commands from the execution instance 16 are received by
a second or safety instance 18 which is also connected with the
sensors 15. Depending on the signals from the sensors 15, the
safety instance 18 defines a permissible movement space for the
robotic arm 8. As long as not all of the sensors 15 register the
engagement of a bolt 14 in the corresponding recess 13, and the
patient support 2 is, consequently, not securely anchored on the
base 1, the permissible movement space of the robotic arm 8 is a
park position, which as shown in FIG. 2 extends downwards from the
rail 7. In this position, the robotic arm 8 is, on the one hand,
protected against impacts, and on the other hand it does not impede
the attachment of the patient support 2 to the base 1.
[0046] Commands from the execution instance 16 are checked by the
safety instance 18 to determine whether their execution would move
the robotic arm 8 out of the permissible movement space. If, as in
the case of the first embodiment, the commands specify a target
location for the movement of the robotic arm 8, it is sufficient to
check whether the target location lies outside of the permissible
movement space, and not to pass on to the robotic arm 8 a control
command in which this is the case. Since a movement of the input
instrument is translated into numerous consecutive control
commands, the robotic arm 8 can in this way be moved right up to
the boundary of the permissible movement space.
[0047] If, as in the case of the second embodiment, the commands
from the execution instance 16 specify a direction of movement of
the robotic arm 8, then the safety instance 18 initially passes on
such a command to the robotic arm 8 as long as this is located
within the permissible movement space, but while the robotic arm 8
is moving in obedience to the command it continuously calculates
its position and terminates the command as soon as the boundary of
the permissible movement space is reached.
[0048] In order to ensure that this boundary is not exceeded, the
safety instance 18 can already reduce the speed of the robotic arm
8 before it reaches the boundary.
[0049] In the case of the third embodiment, it is generally
simpler, using verbal commands, to specify the direction of a
movement of the robotic arm 8 than its final position. Therefore,
in this embodiment the safety instance 18 functions as described
for the second embodiment.
[0050] As soon as the sensors 15 report a secure anchoring of the
patient support 2 on the base 1, the safety instance 18 switches
over from the park position to a permissible movement space above
the patient support 2. At this point the robotic arm 8 is still
located in the park position shown in FIG. 2 and thus outside of
the new movement space. It can be arranged that in this case the
safety instance 18 automatically steers the robotic arm 8 into a
standby position in the new movement space, for example into the
position shown in FIG. 1. However, it is also conceivable that a
human operator controls such a movement via the execution instance
16. Since the robotic arm 8 is initially still located outside of
the movement space, commands generated by the execution instance 16
cannot lead it out of the movement space; therefore, they are not
suppressed by the safety instance 18.
[0051] If, at a later time, the patient support 2 is to be detached
again from the base 1, and the handles 10 are extended for this
purpose, according to one embodiment of the invention this leads to
the bolts 14 disengaging from the recesses 13 and the sensors 15
reporting this to the safety instance 18, which reacts to this in
that it once again specifies the park position shown in FIG. 2 as
the movement space of the robotic arm 8 and simultaneously controls
a movement of the robotic arm 8 into the park position. In this
way, damage to the robotic arm 8 caused through carelessness when
removing the patient support 2 or even a collision of the robotic
arm 8 with a patient on the support 2 when moving the support 2
from the base 1 can be prevented.
[0052] According to an alternative embodiment, the safety instance
18 is connected with actuators 19 which, as indicated in FIG. 3 by
a broken outline, are able to lock the bolts 14 in their recesses
13. Due to the coupling of the bolts 14 to the handles 10, this
locking prevents the handles 10 from being extended, so that the
patient support 2 cannot be removed as long as the locking is
maintained. A user interface 20 of the safety instance 18, in the
simplest case an individual button, makes it possible for a user to
reset to the park position as movement space of the robotic arm 8,
whereupon the safety instance 18 moves the robotic arm 8 into the
park position and releases the locking, so that the patient support
2 can be removed.
[0053] FIG. 4 shows the robot system and the movement spaces of the
robotic arm 8 according to a further developed embodiment of the
invention in a diagrammatic side view. The movement space which the
robotic arm 8 assumes in its park position, identified with 21,
extends vertically downwards from the foot section 9 next to the
column 4. The movement space 22 which the safety instance 18
selects after the patient support 2 is attached to the base 1
offers the robotic arm 8 greater freedom of movement. This is
substantially limited in a downwards direction by the patient
support 2 and in an upwards direction by the requirement not to
collide with other objects, such as a camera 23 for example.
Transversely to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 4, the movement
space 22 can be limited by the requirement that the robotic arm 8
may not enter into the working areas of persons or, where present,
of another robotic arm.
[0054] In the further developed embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the
camera 23 and possibly a further camera 24 provide
three-dimensional coverage of the patient support 2 and, if
present, the body 25 of a patient. On the basis of the images
supplied by the cameras 23, 24, the safety instance 18 is able to
register the position of the body 25 in space and exclude this,
possibly with the addition of a surrounding safety zone 26, from
the movement space 22. In that the safety instance 18 then
suppresses all commands addressed to the robotic arm 8 which would
lead this out of the movement space 22, a contact of the robotic
arm 8 with the body 25 is ruled out. While the robotic arm 8 is
thus prevented from making direct contact with the patient, this is
not the case for the--generally exchangeable--instrument 17 held by
a robot head 31 of the robotic arm 8. It remains possible for this
to make contact with the body 25 so that, for example, an incision
can be made with a scalpel as end effector of an instrument 17 or
an endoscope can be inserted into the body 25 as an instrument
17.
[0055] This rules out any potential injuries which could result
from a direct contact of the robotic arm 8 with the body 25, for
example when a surgeon is controlling the movement of the robotic
arm 8 solely on the basis of images of the tip of the scalpel, or
on the basis of images supplied by the endoscope, and fails to
notice an impact of the robotic arm against the body 25.
[0056] A further development of the concept described above, in
particular with respect to minimally invasive operations, is
illustrated in FIG. 5. Whereas in the case of FIG. 4 the range of
the surgical instrument 17 guided by the robot head 31 of the
robotic arm is substantially only limited by the requirement that
the robot head 31 as part of robotic arm 8 may not leave the
movement space 22, in the case shown in FIG. 5 the surgical
instrument 17 is seen as being part of the robotic arm 8 and is
thus subject to the limitation of freedom of movement to the
movement space 22 described above. In order, nonetheless, to make
possible a surgical operation with the aid of the instrument 17, in
this case the movement space 22 overlaps with an area to be
operated on in the body 25 of the patient.
[0057] In order to allow the instrument 17 to be introduced into
the patient for the minimally invasive procedure, an access opening
into the patient's body 25 has been made beforehand and is kept
open by means of a port 33, for example a trocar sleeve, which is
inserted into the patient. The movement space 22 comprises the
passage of the trocar sleeve and the actual surgical field 34,
which lies beyond the trocar sleeve in the body 25 of the patient.
It is thus possible for the surgeon to thread the instrument 17 or
at least its end effector into the port 33 and introduce it into
the body 25 and to control the performance of the
minimally-invasive procedure without having the instrument 17
breach the boundary of the movement space 22. An accidental injury
to the body 25, both from outside and from inside, can thus be
effectively prevented through an appropriately defined movement
space 22, as shown for example in FIG. 5, since the surgical field
34 only extends into the body 25 as far as is necessary for the
operation. Organs etc. which are to be protected are excluded from
the surgical field 34.
[0058] FIG. 6 illustrates a further development of the robot system
according to the invention with reference to a diagrammatic top
view of the patient support and of a patient lying thereon. The
execution instance 16 is the same as described with reference to
FIG. 3. The safety instance 18 can, as described with reference to
FIG. 3, be connected with sensors for detecting the secure
attachment of the patient support 2 to the base 1; however, this is
not essential. The safety instance 18 is in this case connected
with a data interface 27. This can be connected directly with a
central IT system of the hospital in order to access data relating
to the operation to be performed on the patient lying on the
support 2. In the case illustrated here, the data interface 27 is
an RFID radio interface which communicates with an RFID element 28
worn on the patient's body in order to access operation data stored
thereon. It would also be conceivable only to receive the identity
of the patient from the RFID element 28 and, based on this
identity, to access the data relating to the operation from the
central IT system. These data identify the body part which is to be
operated on, in this case for example a left knee 29. With the aid
of the camera 23 and suitable image processing software, the safety
instance 18 is able to identify the relevant knee 29 on the body 25
of the patient and to define a movement space 30, matching the
identified body part, within which the robotic arm 8 can move in
order to perform the operation. This movement space 30 can lie
completely outside of the body of the patient or, as described with
reference to FIG. 5, also include a surgical field in the knee 29
into which a surgical tool of the robotic arm 8 is permitted to
penetrate.
[0059] In the configuration shown in FIG. 6, the robotic arm 8 is
mounted in proximity to the shoulder of the patient. It is neither
located completely within the movement space 30 nor is its robot
head 31 (or its surgical tool) able to reach each point of the
movement space 30. The safety instance 18 recognizes this
situation, for example on the basis of the images from the camera
23, and outputs a corresponding error message. The error message
can be a text message on a monitor, but it is also conceivable that
the safety instance 18 controls the orientation of a surgical
lighting fixture 32 in order to alert the personnel to the need to
correct the position of the robotic arm 8 through conspicuous
illumination of the knee 29 or a point on the rail suitable for
attachment of the robotic arm 8. Not only does this guarantee an
appropriate positioning of the robotic arm 8, it also allows
operation errors due to misidentification of the patient to be
reliably ruled out.
REFERENCE NUMBERS
[0060] 1. base element [0061] 2. patient support [0062] 3. base
plate [0063] 4. column [0064] 5. segment [0065] 6. support plate
[0066] 7. rail [0067] 8. robotic arm [0068] 9. foot section [0069]
10. handle [0070] 11. rib [0071] 12. groove [0072] 13. recess
[0073] 14. bolt [0074] 15. sensor [0075] 16. execution instance
[0076] 17. instrument [0077] 18. safety instance [0078] 19.
actuator [0079] 20. user interface [0080] 21. movement space [0081]
22. movement space [0082] 23. camera [0083] 24. camera [0084] 25.
body [0085] 26. safety zone [0086] 27. data interface [0087] 28.
RFID element [0088] 29. knee [0089] 30. movement space [0090] 31.
robot head [0091] 32. surgical lighting fixture [0092] 33. port
[0093] 34. surgical field [0094] 35. base
[0095] Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in
the art are considered to be within the scope of the present
invention, which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims
and their legal equivalents.
* * * * *